Two lawyers send FOI to Transport Minister, Amaechi, demand details of $1.9bn Kano-Maradi rail contract

Two legal practitioners have joined forces to demand details of the contract terms of the $1.9bn Kano-Maradi rail project from the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. The lawyers, Monday Ubani and John Nwokwu, in the Freedom of Information request, demanded the contract papers for the construction of the Kano – Maradi in the Niger Republic, approved at the cost of $1.9 billion by President Muhammadu Buhari.

It was gathered that the legal practitioners in their FOI request dated September 29, 2020, told the minister, Amaechi, to within seven days, provide them with “the detailed economic benefit of the rail line project”, or face a lawsuit. Their demands include: “the actual contract cost of the rail; the awarded contract document(s), name of the firm and procedure of the award of the contract to the preferred firm; detailed information on where it is provided for in the 2020 Appropriation Act and the source of the generation of the fund for the contract.” They further requested “the details of the deliberation and approval of such funds and rail project by the National Assembly.”

Counsel to the lawyers, Barrister Joseph Igwe, promised that his clients are willing to pay for the information provided by the ministry.

“Our clients shall pay the necessary fees for the information.
“Be notified that if you fail to provide the above information within the period stipulated by law, we shall proceed against you in accordance with the provisions of the law.

“We have no doubt that you will accede to this request in the interest of the nation you are serving meritoriously,” he had declared.